A New Orleans woman was ordered to serve two years of probation today for her conviction of having sex with a 14-year-old boy in Gretna two years ago. Kendra Greenwald, 33, eluded prison time for her July 12 conviction of carnal knowledge of a juvenile, in connection with the June 10, 2010 encounter inside her 12th Street apartment.

JPSOKendra Greenwald

The boy's mother alerted police after learning her son had sex with Greenwald, who was 31 at the time. Greenwald contends the boy, now 16, forced her to have sex by threatening her and to harm her child.

Greenwald, who is now married and had no criminal history before her conviction, could have faced up to 10 years in prison. Judge Ross LaDart of the 24th Judicial District Court ordered she serve one year in prison, but he suspended the incarceration in favor of two years of probation with the condition she get her GED and receive counseling.

"You have a small child," LaDart told her in explaining the sentencing. "I understand you're pregnant."

Her attorneys, Bruce Netterville and Max Chotto, asked for a new trial, arguing that LaDart wrongly barred Chotto from telling the jury that the boy allegedly had a "breaking and entering" conviction in juvenile court.

That, Netterville argued, would have supported Greenwald's claim that she did not invite the boy into her bedroom. During the trial, the defense attorneys hammered on the point that the boy stole a condom from his mother's jewelry box before going to Greenwald's apartment.

Assistant District Attorney Seth Shute did not present arguments on the request for a new trial. LaDart denied it nonetheless, saying the jury found the evidence was "overwhelming" that Greenwald invited the boy.

Greenwald, who awaited her trial while free on $5,000 bond, was jailed upon her conviction July 12. She was expected to be released from the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center by Tuesday morning. As she did frequently during her trial, she had tears during her sentencing hearing today.

"I want to say I was sorry for the way I acted in court," she told LaDart after the sentencing. LaDart shut her down, telling her to speak through her attorneys.

She must register as a sex offender.

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Paul Purpura can be reached at ppurpura@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3791.